Chapter 29. Resolution

When the Thain’s party reached the yard before the Smials, hobbits were spilling out the entrances like ants disturbed in their nest. Tweens perched atop the roofs of stables and other outbuildings; the stairs down from the Great Door were filled with hobbits craning to see, and the courtyard itself was carpeted with excited Tooks and servants. The crowed fell silent and parted before the riders, allowing the Thain to ride to the centre of the yard. There the little group of riders remained, motionless except for the occasional stamp of a restless pony.

Regi and Mardi had taken Pimpernel between them, walking her slowly towards one of the lesser entrances to the Great Smials. ‘There’s no hurry,’ Reginard assured her. ‘Your husband’s not going anywhere.’ Meadowsweet had the children in hand, big ones carrying little ones and keeping the middle ones in their midst.

 ‘I am well,’ Pimpernel said stoutly, but when she saw the surging sea of Tooks in the courtyard she was not so sure. It reminded her of a public trial she’d seen when her father was Thain. There were hobbits who had been overenthusiastic in helping the ruffians during the Troubles. Thain Paladin and Master Saradoc had consulted together, deciding which could be rehabilitated and placing these under the Ban for long enough to consider their actions, and which could not be salvaged and banishing these from the Shire, to go to Breeland, perhaps, or to wander homeless evermore.

The Took guarding the entrance nodded to them without expression, wary of the Steward. He’d heard all manner of rumours and did not know what to think. Best not to think anything until it all came out officially.

 ‘Make way!’ Reginard bellowed, and the hobbits near them squeezed more tightly together. ‘Ready?’ he whispered to Pimpernel. She gave a sharp nod, and they stepped out into the crowd, proceeding with difficulty through the packed bodies.

 ‘It’s all right, poppets,’ Meadowsweet was murmuring. The children were frightened, Nell saw. It was hardly remarkable; she was frightened herself, no matter what reassurances Reginard might have spoken beforehand. She kept her eyes fixed on the little group of riders sitting motionless in the middle of the crowd.

Pippin watched their progress soberly, following the ripple in the crowd as Reginard led Pimpernel and Meadowsweet forward, their children following in a tight little bunch, to stand by their husbands. He’d told them that all would be well, but from their expressions it was clear they were not sure whether to trust his assurances.

Nell moved forward with eyes only for her beloved. Ferdi sat his pony with drooping head and the rest of the riders might have been carved from stone. At a word from Tolly, Ferdi straightened but did not look around. He was ill, Nell realised, and chafed at their slow progress. Why in the world was Pip making her beloved sit in the cold wind, when he plainly belonged in bed?

Coming closer she saw the bonds on Ferdi and Tolly, and though Regi had warned her it was a shock, more so when she saw her husband’s pallor and the lines about his eyes. Tookish temper stirred within her and she took a tight rein on herself. Pippin knew what he was doing, Regi had said. Well, they’d see about that.

When the families reached them the riders got down from their ponies, all but the Thain. He remained on his pony’s back, grimly surveying the crowd, as the escort dismounted and then made a show of helping Ferdi and Tolly from their ponies, although in Ferdi’s case it was rather more than show.

Meadowsweet would have thrown her arms about Tolly, but he warned her off with a shake of his head. This isn’t over yet. his eyes said.

But Regi told me you said, “All is well!” her protesting look replied. He smiled and nodded, then his look swept the faces of his children. Though his heart knew that Meadowsweet would leave all behind and follow him into exile, his mind had not been so sure. A part of him had thought he’d never see them again.

Ferdi did not at first see Nell or his children. The noise of the crowd was a torment to his ears; the diffused light of the cloudy sky assaulted his eyes and he wished only for a hole to be buried in, layers of earth muffling him from sight and sound. He sagged in Haldigrim’s grip. One soft voice broke through to him. ‘Ferdi?’

Straightening, he blinked, groping like one half-blind until his eyes found the face of his beloved. ‘My Nell,’ he breathed, and then felt Haldi tighten his grasp in warning. He was not yet free.

The smaller children were crying in fear and confusion, seeing their fathers bound, hearing the whispers about them, and Meadowsweet bent to croon comfort to her own little ones and Nell’s. Nell stood transfixed, her gaze locked with Ferdi’s.

Pippin waited while hobbits continued to spill from the buildings surrounding the courtyard. When the crowd had swelled to fill the enormous yard, he spoke at last. ‘Tooks and Tooklanders,’ he said. ‘We are gathered here to dispense justice.’ Meadowsweet gathered her little ones closer, a mother hen pulling her chicks under her wings as the shadow of a hawk passes over. A look passed between Pimpernel and Ferdibrand, and she relaxed subtly, nodding to her children. All is well. The lads stood a little straighter, and the lasses swallowed hard and blinked back their tears.

‘Before you are two who have been accused—‘ Pippin said, and the crowd waited for the details of their crimes. Instead, they heard the Thain repeat, ‘two who have been accused falsely of a serious crime, when in fact they were loyally carrying out their duty of protecting the Thain and the family of the Thain.’

There was a murmur, and silence again as Pippin raised his hands. ‘You saw one of these escorted from the Smials bound and under guard.’ He nodded at Tolly. ‘You may well have heard rumours about the other.’ He nodded at Ferdi. The expressions on the faces before him confirmed his words; o how the Tooks loved their Talk.

‘The false accusations have been dealt with, the accusers have been confronted, judgment has been passed, and restitution has been awarded. Now all that remains is to clear the stain on the reputations of these two fine Tooks.’ Pippin surveyed the vast crowd, then slid down from his pony. Taking his knife from his belt, he cut Ferdi’s bonds, then Tolly’s. The crowd began to murmur again; the murmur grew to a tumult, and Ferdi and Tolly were engulfed in the embrace of their wives and children. Haldi and Isen stood close behind Ferdi, catching him when he staggered, taking his arms over their shoulders and bearing him into the Great Smials, closely followed by Nell who was still supported by Mardi, and finally their children.

Tolly was kissing Meadowsweet as if he’d never let her go again, and the hobbits about them were cheering. The head of escort did release his wife at last, falling to his knees on the icy stones to gather his children in his arms as tears ran down his face. Meadowsweet spread her arms to encompass as much of her husband and family as she could, and they stood so a long time, heedless of cold or of the press of congratulatory hobbits around them.

Pippin stood watching until he felt a hand on his arm. Turning, he saw Reginard regarding him with concern. ‘You’re tired,’ the steward said just loudly enough for Pippin to hear over the noise of the crowd. ‘You’ve done all that’s needed. Come in now and rest. Diamond’s waiting.’ The Thain started to protest, then caught the watching eye of his son upon him and all the fight went out of him.

‘Very well, Reg,’ he said. ‘I could stand to take a rest, indeed.’ He held out a hand to Faramir and the lad came to him. Arms about each other, father and son walked through the crowd and into the Great Smials.